Method and means for gumming envelopes and similar sheet materials



July 22, 1941. J. A. MATTERA' I METHOD AND MEANS FOR GUMMING ENVELOPES AND SIMILAR SHEET MATERIALS Filed July 19, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. L/ZJHN A.

( MATTERA 6a ORNEY.

July 22, 1941;. J. A. MATTERA' METHOD AND MEANS FOR GUMMING- ENVELOPES AND SIMILAR SHEET MATERIALS 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 19, 1939 R W a 2% 0 y w k & MM m A aim i w W m o y r w: is i LB- IHI IMH MIMWIMHWHIWI P. W I I I h;n IIJJI I ||Illll| II J) llllllllllllllllllllllllllllll |l E 2W q A -16 W! J a Um c m W Q g .6 m 1-- Q m" Q m US WA 2 -HHI N R W HWM- E Q 9., u fi M n l? 9Q ww Q nu N m w .Ti. mllw m m i. $5 m m "wt: H v ta W m: w m R 6E. v .mw. Q g g E E w n MN M E 3 n 3 S Q .5: HQ%\ S ta f i i i? z July 22, 1941. J. A. MATTERA 3 METHOD AND MEANS FOR GUMMING ENVELOPES AND SIMILAR SHEET MATERIALS 4 Sheets-Shet 5 Filed July 19, 195E) INVENTOR JOHN A. MA TTERA ORNEY.

July 22, 1941. J. A. MATTERA 2,249,773

METHOD AND MEANS FOR GUMMING ENVELOPES AND SIMILAR SHEET MATERIALS Filed July 19, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. JOHN A. MATTERA ATTORNEY.

Patented July 22, 1941 RIETHOD AND MEANS FOR GUMMING EN- VELOPES AND RIALS SIMILAR SHEET MATE- John A. Mattera, New York, N. Y., assignor to Envelope Machine Corp., a corporation of New York Application July 19, 1989, Serial No. 285,332

15 Claims.

The present invention relates to a gumming machine and procedure and it particularly relates to a gumming and printing machine and procedure to be utilized in making envelopes.

Although the present invention will be particularly described in connection with the gumming and/or printing of envelopes, it is to be understood that it has many broader applications, the gumming and printing of envelopes merely being given by way of specific illustration.

In connection with envelopes it is usually necessary to utilize different types of gum or adhesive solutions for attachment of the transparent or glassine window and for attachment of the body of the envelope. 7

Considerable difficulty is experienced in securing proper application of these gums or adhesives and where reciprocatory adhesive applicators are utilized for applying the gum, special constructions must be provided so that the different types of gums may be readily applied and the reciprocatory mechanism is usually quite cumbersome and expensive and subject to getting out of order.

Moreover with such reciprocatory apparatus direct application of a gum from a pressure picker member to an envelope or similar piece of paper to receive the gum is necessary, and this direct application has not been found to be most satisfactory and it has not been most readily possible to control the amount of gum applied thereby, particularly when the reciprocating parts have been subjected to a little Wear.

Moreover it has not been found readily possible to print the envelope in connection with the application of the adhesive, and as a result it was necessary to subject the envelope to a number of imprinting operations, one or more applications being for the application of the different types of gum for attachment of the body flaps, the sealing flap and/or the transparent window and one or more applications being for imprinting the body of the envelope with descriptive matter in one or more colors.

It is therefore among the objects of the presentiinvention to provide an improved process and mechanism for applying gum or adhesive solution to envelopes and similar papers or fabrics in-the process of manufacture, which Will more accurately control the amount of gum applied, which will most satisfactorily apply the gum in desired areas, which will enable simultaneous printing of the envelope with one or more colors and which will produce the envelopes or other imprinted materials at greater speed and at decreased cost. I

In accomplishing the above objects, it has been found most satisfactory to make the device of the rotary type and it is a further object of the present invention to employ an improved rotary apparatus for imprinting envelopes and similar sheet material with adhesive, as well as with ink, which device Will be widely adapted for printing and manufacturing different types of envelopes at high speeds, whether of the penny saving type or of the standard type and with or without a Window. It is particularly desirable to accomplish these objects by ancoffsetting procedure in which the adhesive will be offset upon a rotary carrier for the envelope blank against which the envelope blank will be pressed and by which it will be carried.

Still further objects and advantages will appear from the more detailed description set forth below, it being understood, however, that this more detailed description is given by Way of illustration, since various changes therein may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention,

In accomplishing the above objects it hasbeen found most satisfactory according to one embodiment of the present invention to utilize a partial cylindrical shell for application of the gum to the envelope, to which shell adhesive may be suitably transferred by an offset arrangement so that it will carry in suitable positions upon its surface one type of an edible quick drying gum or adhesive for the flap which is to be moistened by'the user of the envelope and the other type of slow drying gum or adhesive to be utilized in connecting the side flaps in position.

Desirably these adhesive or gum solutions may be applied from a box or boxes containing the liquid adhesive material, from which box or boxes by one or more rollers the adhesive will be carried to an embossed or fragmentary roller having an embossment taking the shape of the areas on shell and the envelope, which are to receive the gum.

The embossments are so arranged and/or these rollers are so cut out that they will not interfere with one another or cause the gum to smear when applied to the main carrying cylinder.

The blanks for the envelopes may be fed one by one by suction or suitable feeding mechanisms to the main carrying cylindrical shell Where they will take up the gumwhich has already been applied to the surface of the cylinder.

At the same time as soon as the gum has been applied to the rear face of the envelope blank, the front face of the envelope blank may be imprinted with one or more colors by a printing mechanism and after this operation has been completed, the envelope then may be taken away from the main cylinder to the folding mechanism.

Where it is desired to include a window in the envelope, the edges of the window patch may be gummed and fed onto the main carrying cylinder or shell before the envelope blank is placed upon said main cylinder or shell. However it has usually been found more desirable to apply the Window in a subsequent operation following the imprinting and gumming of the edges of the window cut out in the envelope.

In transferring the envelope blank to the cylinder, reciprocatory suction fingers havebeen found to be quite satisfactory, but in holding the envelope in position to receive the gum and ink imprinting, it has been found most desirable to have a positive grip on the edge of the envelope to assure that the gum and ink will be applied at the proper places and in the proper register.

Referring to the drawings which illustrate several of the various possible embodiments of the present invention, but to which the present invention is by no means restricted, since the drawings are merely by way of illustration and not by way of limitation,

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of one embodiment of the present invention showing the stack, the main carrier shell element and the gumming and printing arrangements,

Fig. 2 is a top plan View upon the line 22 of Fig. 1, showing the main carrier constructions and associated mechanisms,

Fig. 3 is a side sectional view upon the line 3-3 of Fig, 2,

Fig. 4 is a perspective View with part of the apparatus broken away, illustrating the operating mechanism for the suctioner devices and also the gripper devices,

Fig. 5 is a layout of a window type envelope which may be gummed with the apparatus of Figs. 1 to 4,

Fig. 6 is a side sectional view upon the line 63 of Fig. 2,

Fig. 7 is an enlarged detailed showing of the front seal roller applicator,

Fig. 8 is a transverse sectional view upon the line B--B of Fig. '7,

Fig. 9 is a front elevatlonal view of the back seal applicator roller, and

Fig. 10 is a transverse sectional view upon the line |0|0 of Fig. 9.

Referring to Fig. 1, the main carrier cylindrical element A, as shown best in Fig. 2, is provided with a strip B, for applying gum to the front seal flap, C are strips for applying gum to the body flaps of the envelope, and D is a rectangular element for applying gum for attachment of the glassine or other transparent window.

The gum is applied to the strip B by the applicator E, which is fed from the box F, while the gum is applied to the strips C and to the the form or blank S after it has been removed from the stack by the suction K.

The printing roller M may imprint the envelope, with ink supplied from the reservoir N, and after printing and gumming has been completed, the gripper mechanism P, carried by the belt Q, may take off the envelope and transfer it to the window patch applicator R.

Referring first to the partial cylindrical shell A provided with the gum applicator strips B, C and D, the main shaft carries a plurality of hubs 21, 28, 29, and 3|, which carry a series of partial or fragmentary disk elements 22, 23, 24, l

25 and 26.

The main cylindrical shell portion 2| is provided with the screw connections 32, 33, 34,

and 36 to the periphery of said disks.

It will be noted that the shell is cut off at 31 and the extensions of the disks 22, 23 and 24 carry the strip B by the screw or bolt connections 38.

The main shell 2| is also cut out at 39 and in the recesses formed there are positioned the strips C having the connections at 40 to the other ends of the peripheries of the segments 23 and 24. The square cut out 4| in the shell 2| receives the square applicator element 42 which is adjustably held in position by the slotted lugs 43 and the screws 44 upon the middle portion of the periphery of the segments 22 and 24.

As shown upon Fig. 3, the upper portions 18, 79 and 80 of the strips B, C and D are made of rubber, the upper surface of which is flush with the curved plate 2|, said rubber surface taking up and carrying the gum to be applied to the envelope as shown at S in Fig. 5.

It will be noted that the combination A, B, C and D is so arranged to support and apply adhesive to the envelope blank S, as shown in Fig. 5.

The elongated end portions 45 of the shell cor- 1 respond to the envelope body flaps 46.

window D by the applicators G and H respectively The gripper mechanism may function to grip The gumming strips C apply gum at 4! to the lower flap 48 of the envelope blank. The upper strip B applies gum at 49 to the front or main sealing flap 59, while the square strip D applies gum at 5| to around the window 52 in the envelope blank.

In practice, although the same gum may be utilized for application at 41 and 5|, that is a non-edible slow drying gum or adhesive, which may slowly harden and acquire maximum adhesive properties even after being stacked, this gum should be quite different from the gum applied at 49, which must be an edible gum which has to be quick drying and which must be of such a nature as to be readily licked or moistened by the lips or tongue of a user.

It will be noted by reference to Fig. 3 that these plates A, B, C and D are of cylindrical contour and that the plates B and D, as Well as the plates C (the last mentioned not being shown in cross section) are of adjustable construction, with the lower laminated plates 53 and 54 carrying the adjustable attachment lugs 43 and 56, which are held in position by the screws 44 and 38.

It is apparent that by changing the shape and adjusting the position of the elements A, B, C and D, that the machine maybe made to accommodate any suitable size and shape of envelope blank, or it may be made to accommodate other forms of sheet material, which are to be gummed and/ or imprinted.

The shaft 20, carrying the elements A, B, C and D, is driven by the main gear 51, which gear is timed with the gears driving the gum applicator devices E, G and H (see particularly Figs. 1 and '7 to 9).

-These applicators are for the purpose of applying gum to the strips 13, C and D, which strips in turn will apply it to the back of the envelope blank or to the sheet material.

As shown in Fig. 1, the gum box F may contain a suitable fluid or heated adhesive or gum solution and it carries the shaft 58 on which rotates the fountain roller 59.

The frame of the machine indicated by the dotand-dash lines G0, may also carry the shaft 58, as Well as the main shaft 2! The shaft 61 carries the first transfer roller 62 which picks up adhesive from the roller 59 and the shaft 63 carries the second transfer roller 64, which picks up adhesive from the first transfer roller 62. The transferroller 64 will transfer the adhesive to the applicator E carried on the shaft 65.

The shafts 58, [i3 and 55 may lie-mounted in the side frames Bi) (see also 2). The applicator E, as shown in Fig. 7, carries a strip 66 which is provided with lugs 61 which are screwed at 68 to the body 69 of the applicator, which body 69 is carried on the shaft E55.

If desired all of the metal of the roller 53 might be cut away except that portion of the metal which carries the lugs 67. There should desirably be sufficient metal left also to support the strip 56.

'As shown in Figs. 1 and S, the segment it will usually be suificient to support said strip. The rollers 59, 62 and t4 and the applicator E are usually so synchronized by gearing that the strip $6 will meet the strip B at each second revolution ofthe shaft 55 and will transfer gum from the box 'F to said strip.

The main gear 57, the pitch line of which is indicated at 51 in Fig. 1, turns in the direction 3-! (see Fig. 1) and drives gears, the pitch lines of which are indicated atiiZ and 83 on Fig. 1. These gears 82 and {53 are fixed to the shafts 65 and 84, respectively, and are positioned on the side ofthe frame Bil.

'fThe shafts 53, ti and 58 are in turn'd-riven in succession by gears (not shown) from the gear 82, while the shafts 76, T and i i are in turn driven by gears (not shown) from the gear 83.

The shell structure A, B, C, and D and the applicator E could also be designed of sufiicient diameter so that there would be a 1:1 ratio between the applicator E and the strip B, but it has been found desirable to decrease the diameters for the purposes of economy and to reduce the weight of the machine and permit the applicator E to 'maketwo revolutions for every one application of gum from the strip 66 to the strip B.

At the intermediate revolution the strip 66 will not be in contact with any portion of the shell A and will be ineffective on small size envelopes. Two shells with extra gripper can be installed.

In respect to the gumming of the strips C and D of Fig. ,2, this gum is supplied from a fountain or box I, as shown in Fig. 1, through the fountain roll H, the first transfer roll 12 and the second transfer roll '53 to the applicators G and H, these rollers respectively being provided with shafts Hi, '15 and 15. I

, The applicators'G and H, asshownin detail in Figs, 9 and 10, carry the curved'bars 152, which apply gumto the strips C of the cylindrical structure A ,'and the frame liitwhich applies gum to the "frame D of the structure A. These elements [Wand 153 maybe adjustably fixed by the set screws 168 and 169 and the supporting structure shaft 84 of the applicators.

As indicated in Fig. 1, the scrapers 85 and 86 scrape off the excess of gum from the rollers 59 and H and these scrapers are provided with adjustments. One of these adjustments is shown in Fig. 1, said adjustment consisting of an upwardly extending lug 8'! provided with a screw 88, which is threaded into another lug 89 on the scraper 85.

After the plate A has been gummed by theapplicators E, G and H, the envelope blank S is then applied thereto.

As shown in Fig. 1, the envelopes S are held in a frame V having the guide rods 90, and these envelopes are removed one by one by the sucker mechanism K. The suckermechanism K, shown best in Fig. 4 and also in side View in Fig. 1 and in top view in Fig. 2, includes a hollow shaft 91 plugged as shown at 92 in Fig. 2 and containing the V-shaped suckerfingers 93. a

These fingers 93 are each provided with an eye Qtfitting upon said shaft 9| and with an inturned contact portion 9'5.

As shown best upon Fig. 2, the V-shaped members 93 are provided with bores 96 extending entirely therethrough. In operation, they are designed first to be moved in the direction 91 (see Figs. 1 and 2) guided by the stud shafts 98 which have reciprocatory or slide bearings in the collars 99 supported upon the frame structure N19.

The reciprocatory shafts 98 are connected at the eyes 161 to the ends of the sucker-shaftv 9| and they ar provided with stop collars 192 designed to abut said collars 99. The position of th collars H32 may be adjusted-by the lock nuts H13 (see Fig. 2).

The shaft 91 is caused to move in the direction Q? by the swinging bracket element [64 (see Fig. 4) which has a web I and is provided with an eye 1% carried onthe shaft I6! and a downwardly extending rear member I98 terminating in the clevice H19 which receives the roller I 10.

Th roller 1 i0 contacts the cam ll|,-which has the depressed portion H2 and th elevated portion 113. r

As said main shaft rotates, the roller H-fi will pass successively over the lower face H2 of the cam ill, in which case the sucker members 93 will be in their solid line position, as indicated in Fig. 4. When the roller H0 passes over th elevatedportion H3, the presser foot H14 pressing against the-roller H5 on the sucker shaft 9| will cause said shaft to move in the direction 91, com

pressing the spring I30, to bring said sucker and the sucker heads-95 will bring an envelope sheet, asindicated by the dot-and-dashlines at i ll (Figs. 1 and 3) against the plate A.

'At this point the gripper L will'functionto grip the forward end of the paper blank S and at th same time the sucker elements K will be released'by a suction 'cut off (not shown) at the right end of the shaft'gl and they will be moved,

out of path of rotation of the plate A. This suction cut off will operate when the suction mechanism .is not operating to'pick up a sheet S.

This last movement is done by the.intermesh ing segments shown best at T in end View in Fig.

land in top view in Fig, 2.

. As indicated in Fig. 4,.the main shaft 20 car ries a cam H8 having the depressed portion H9 and the elevated portion I29. This cam is pro vided with a follower roller I2I, which is pivotally mounted in the clevice I23.

The clevice I23 forms part of a segment I24, which is pivotally mounted at I25 upon the side frame 69. The end of the segment is provided with th arcuate gear I26, which are shown as meshing with the gear teeth I21 on the half gear I28. The half gear I28 is provided with a hub I29, which fits uponand moves with the shaft 9I when the shaft 9I is moved in the direction 91. The gear teeth I26 and I21 then will be moved out of mesh. At this time the roller I22 will be riding over the low surface II9 of the cam IIB, while the roller H9 is riding over the high surface I I3 of the cam III.

As soon as the roller H6 drops again onto the low surface I I2 of the cam II I and the spring I35 has returned the stud shaft 98 and the shaft 9I in the direction I I6, the teeth I26 and I21 will immediately again mesh. These teeth will be held in meshing position when the roller I2I is held against the low surface I I9 by the spring I3I and when the shaft 9I is stopped by the pin I32 against the edge I33 of the cut-out I34 in the collar IIiI.

As soon as the teeth I26 and I21 have again intermeshed, the high portion I29 of the cam II8 will strike the roller I2I and will move the half gear I28 in the direction I35 (Fig. 4). This will be at greater speed than the cylindrical plate A moves and will cause the sucker fingers 93 to move down to dotted line position, as indicated at Fig. 4, out of the path of movement of the cylindrical plate A.

Simultaneously as the sucker fingers are released, the gripper shaft I36, which is carried with the main plate A and revolves with the rotation of the main shaft 25, will be turned in the direction indicated by the arrow I31. This in turn will turn the gripper element L, the collar I38 of which is fixed on said shaft I 36, so that the contact finger portion I39 thereof will grip the portion 48 of the envelope blank S against the edge portion I49 of the plate A (see Figs. 2 and 3).

The gripper L will operate to hold the envelope in position on the plate A as it moves past the printing mechanism M and until the envelope blank is taken up by the conveyor chain or belt Q on which it is held by the gripper P.

This gripper mechanism L is actuated by the mechanism shown in Fig. 6 to grip the sheet at 48 when released bythe sucker fingers 93 and to release thesheet just before the sheet is gripped by the gripper P.

Referring to Fig. 6, the gripper is shown in an upper position indicated by the arrow I31, in which itgrips the envelope blank and a lower position indicated by the arrow MI, in which it is in off position.

The end of the gripper shaft I36 is provided with a pinion I52, which meshes withthe rack I43 carried upon the arm I44. The arm I44 is provided with an eye I45 pivotally mounted at I46 upon the side of the main gear 51.

The left end of the arm I44 is provided with a clevice I 11 (see also the left portion of Fig. 2) in which clevice the eye I48 is pivotally mounted by the pin I49. The eye I43 has a shank I59 carrying the lock nuts II and a rod extension I52 carrying the spring I53, which spring I53 reacts against the lug I54 pivotally mounted on the lower part of the side of the main gear 51, as shown.

" The portion of the arm I44 adjacent the rack I43 carries a stud I55 with the roller I55, which roller is pressed against the dead cam I58 by the spring I53. The dead cam I58 is bolted or riveted at I59 (see also Fig. 2) to the side frame 60.

The cam I58 is provided with a high portion I69 which will cause the gripper L to be moved to gripping position in the direction indicated by the arrow I31 and the low portion IBI, which will cause the gripper to be withdrawn to nongripping position, as indicated by the arrow I4 I It will be noted that the entire assemblage of the pinion I42, the rack I43, the arm I44, the spring I53, the pivot I46 and the roller I56 rotate with the gear 51 and the shaft 20.

Referring to Fig. 1, the printing arrangement shown at the lower left hand of the figure, may consist of a fountain I19, in which is positioned the fountain roller I1I, the transfer roller I12 and the actual printing roller I13, which should be of the embossed type and should not be of the intaglio type.

The rollers I'II, I12 and I 13 are respectively mounted on the shafts I14, I15 and I16. The shaft I14 is supported in the ear I11 of the fountain box I19 and the shaft I15 being supported by the arm or bar I18. The bar I18 is connected by a coil spring I19 to the frame 60 at I to draw the roller I12 against the roller I13.

The structure I8I, forming part of the side frame 69, is designed to receive the bearing of the main printing roller I13, which is inked by the transfer roller I12.

If desired, several printing arrangements M-N may be positioned in parallel to print in different colors on different sides of the front of the blank S of Fig. 5, or by increasing the diameter of the shell A, it is possible to have several different printing rollers print in succession upon the blank.

The outside of the blank will always be exposed to the printing roller or rollers M. The blank which will now have been gummed at three difierent places for the front seal, the back seal, and the window piece and which will have been printed at the position M, will be carried on the shell A to adjacent the belt or chain Q where it will be picked up by the gripper finger P.

At this position the gripper finger I39 will be released b the roller I 56 rising over the elevated position I65 of the cam I58 (see Fig. 6).

At the same time, by a mechanism not shown, the gripper finger P will be closed against the block I82 on its mount, said mount I63 and the block I82 being carried on the special links I84 and I35 forming part of a link chain I86, which constitutes the carrier belt Q. This link chain I86 acts as a sprocket which meshes with the teeth I81 of the sprocket wheel I65, which is rotatably mounted at I89.

This sprocket belt Q and gripper P will carry the imprinted blank S in the direction indicated by the arrow I between the rollers NH and I92. These rollers I91 and I92 are pivotally mounted at I93 and I9 1 on the ear portions I95 and I96 of the frame 66 (see Fig. 1). The position of the blank is indicated by the dot and dash line I91. The shafts I93 and I94 are driven by the gear 26I from the gear 51.

The glassine or other transparent window material or patch is fed as a continuous strip at I98 intermittently between the cutting knives I99. As each patch is cut it will be laid onto the carrier R, the outline of which is the same as that of the window and which is supported on a sec tor-like element 200. i

The window patch is drawn against the face R by vacuum applied through the bore 202, which communicates with the hollow center portion 203 of the shaft I33.

At the point of application of the window carried on the applicator R, to the imprinted blank S, it will come in contact with the pressure roller I92.

Instead of using the belt Q and the gripper P, it is' also possible to use strippers to take off the imprinted blank from the shell A. The spacing between the center line of the shaft 20 and the shafts I93 and I94 is less thanthe length of the blank, so that it will be picked up between the applicator R and the roller :92 before it completely leaves the shell A.

In operation, before a blank is drawn from the stack S, as shown in Fig. 1, adhesive will be applied to the strips B, C and D, as shown in Fig. 2, by the applicators E, G and H.

As the adhesive is being applied, the cam III, which turns with the main shaft 28, will be to press the tubular shaft 9I in the direction 9'! and thus bring the sucker fingers 55 (see Figs. 1 and 4) against the stack J.

As soon as the roller I I c then goes over the depressed portion i I2 of the cam III, these fingers 95 will withdraw a single sheet or blank S from the stack as shown in Fig. 1, to the dotted line position shown in II? and immediately the segment gear T will turn the partial gear IEH in opposite of the direction I35 and the sucker fingers 55 to the dotted line position as shown in Fig. 4. This will cause the sucker fingers 95 to release the blank S and move such sucker fingers out of the path of rotation of the shell A.

At the same time the roller I55 of Fig. 6 will drop onto the depressed portion 16! of the dead cam I58, causing the gripper finger 535 to move into the position shown in Fig. 3 (that is into the upper dotted line position shown in Fig. 6) to grip the blank which has now been drawn against the shell A.

The adhesive on the strips 13, C and D will be applied to the back of said blank S against said shell A in the positions ll, '39 and M, as shown in Fig. 5.

A the same time the printing roller M will imprint the envelope with suitable return address or other indiciary or advertising material.

When the front edge of the blank S reaches directly below the shaft 20, the roller i55 of Fig. 6 will move onto the elevated portion of the dead cam I58, releasing the gripper finger I39 and the gripper finger P then will pick up the blank and pull it in the direction I99 to below the applicator R. where the out window section or patch will be applied.

It is thus apparent that the present applicant has devised a simple, speedy, inexpensive apparatus for imprinting fluids, such as adhesives or inks, on opposite sides of a blank, particularly such as an envelope.

Although the apparatus particularly designed for gumming the back side of an envelope and imprinting the front side, it is obvious it is also speed of production than is possible with reciprocatory apparatus and wide variation is possible in types of adhesives which may be applied by means of the offset process, with the use of a shell A.

The envelope after the window has been applied by the applicator R, may be folded and stored on suitable continuously moving racks so as to permit the adhesive to dry at 49, as indicated in Fig. 5 without having the flap contact with the body of the envelope, while the body flaps of the envelope blank S will be pressed together to cause the adhesive at 47 to contact the end flaps 46 and dry slowly.

If desired, one ofthe patches of adhesive 41 might be omitted and adhesive coating at 48 shortened where penny saver envelopes are utilized, which are provided with side openings for mail inspection purposes.

After application of the window patch by the rollers I9I and I92, the gummed and/or imprinted envelope blank is delivered to a mechanism folding and drying the envelope blank.

This rotary feeding gumming, printing and patching mechanism shown in the drawings, may be sold as a unit and utilized most readily to replace :the reciprocatory gumming mechanism'of a plunger type machine.

If desired, the shell A might be duplicated with small envelope blanks, in which case two blanks could be applied, one to each shell, during each revolution of the shaft 28. In this case each rotation of the applicators E, G and H would apply gum and the gripper mechanism L would be duplicated.

As many changes could be made in the gumming machine, and many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What is claimed is:

1. In an envelope blank gumming and imprinting mechanism for simultaneously applying different types of gum to the side and end flaps of an envelope, a cylindrical carrier, a plurality of applicator means to apply said different types of gum to said carrier to be applied to said blank, a stack carrying envelope blanks, transfer'means to transfer one of said blanks from said stack to said carrier, said transfer means including rotatable suction fingers to withdraw one of said blanks from said stack and means to withdraw said suction fingers out of the'way of said carrier when one of said blanks has been removed from said stack and applied to said carrier, holder means to hold said'blank'on said carrier and remover means toremove said blank from said carrier after it has taken up said gum, said carrier being provided with segregated rubber faced areas to receive and apply the different types of gum to the desired areas on the envelope blank and said applicator means including rotatable elements having gum carrying areas approximat- "ing the shape'and size of the areas on the envelope blank to receive the gum, said applicator means and segregated areas being synchronized so that gum will only be applied to said segregated areas.

2. In an envelope blank gumming and imprinting mechanism for simultaneously applying different types of gum to the side end flaps'of an envelope, a cylindrical carrier, a pluralityof ap- Splicatormeans to apply said different types of gum to said carrier to be applied to said blank, a stack carrying envelope blanks, transfer means to transfer one of said blanks from said stack to said carrier, said transfer means including rotatable suction fingers to withdraw one of said blanks from said stack and means to withdraw said suction fingers out of the way of said carrier when one of said blanks has been removed from said stack and applied to said carrier, holder means to hold said blank on said carrier and remover means to remove said blank from said carrier after it has taken up said gum, said holder means including a swinging clamping finger and an actuator for said finger rotated with said carrier, said actuator having a secondary shaft carrying said finger, a pinion in the end of said shaft, a rack meshing with said pinion, an arm carrying said rack, a main gear for driving said carrier, pivotal mounts for said secondary shaft and arm on said main gear, a fixed cam and a follower carried by said arm to contact said cam.

3. In an envelope blank gumming and imprinting mechanism for simultaneously applying different types of gum to the side and end flaps of an envelope, a cylindrical carrier, a plurality of applicator means to apply said different types of gum to said carrier to be applied to said blank, a stack carrying envelope blanks, transfer means to transfer one of said blanks from said stack to said carrier, said transfer means including rotatable suction fingers to withdraw one of said blanks from said stack and means to withdraw said suction fingers out of the way of said carrier when one of said blanks has been removed from said stack and applied to said carrier, holder means to hold said blank on said carrier and remover means to remove said blank from said carrier after it has taken up said gum, said transfer means including reciprocably and rotatably mounted suction fingers, said suction fingers being provided with a shaft, a pusher member to push said fingers against said stack, a spring return to return said fingers, and a rotating arrangement to rotate said fingers after return out of the path of movement of said carrier.

4. In an envelope blank gumming and imprinting mechanism of the type having a cylindrical carrier, applicator means to apply gum to said carrier to be applied to said blank, a stack carrying envelope blanks, holder means to hold said blank on said carrier and remover means to remove said blank from said carrier after it'has taken up said gum; transfer means to transfer one of said blanks from said stack to said carrier, said transfer means including suction fingers, a rotary shaft carrying said fingers, reciprocating shafts carrying the ends of said rotary shaft and bearings for said reciprocating shafts, and means to actuate said reciprocating and rotary shafts to move said suction fingers out of the path of said carrier after said transfer.

5. In an envelope blank gumming and imprinting mechanism of the type having a cylindrical carrier, applicator means to apply gum to said carrier to be applied to said blank, a stack carrying envelope blanks, holder means to hold said blank on said carrier and remover means to remove said blank from said carrier after it has taken up said gum; transfer means to transfer one of said blanks from said stack to said carrier, said transfer means including suction fingers, a rotary shaft carrying said fingers, reciprocating shafts carrying the ends of said rotary shaft and bearings for said reciprocatin shafts,

and means to actuate said reciprocating and rotary shafts to move said suction fingers out of the path of said carrier after said transfer, said lastmentioned means including a shaft eccentrically carried by said carrier, and cams in said shaft to actuate said rotary and reciprocating shafts in a predetermined sequence.

6. In an envelope blank gumming and imprinting mechanism of the type having a cylindrical carrier, applicator means to apply gum to said carrier to be applied to said blank, a stack carrying envelope blanks, holder means to hold said blank on said carrier and remover means to remove said blank from said carrier after it has taken up said gum; transfer means to transfer one of said blanks from said stack to said carrier, said transfer means including reciprocably and rotatably mounted suction fingers, and recesses in said carrier to receive said suction fingers when said fingers are in their position closest to the carrier and means to reciprocate said fingers to carry one of said blanks from said stack to said carrier and then to rotate said fingers out of the path of said carrier.

7. In an envelope blank gumming and imprinting mechanism, a cylindrical carrier for the envelope blanks having segregated areas to receive and transfer different types of adhesive material onto the top and side flaps of the envelope and a plurality of applicator means having applicator rollers positioned so as to contact with said carrier at different places in its rotational movement, said applicator rollers respectively serving successively to apply different types of gum to said segregated areas, and means to apply an envelope blank to said carrier after said different types of gum have been applied thereto, whereby said envelope blank will be simultaneously gummed by different types of gum from said segregated areas.

8. A method of simultaneously applying different typesof gum to the side and top flaps of an envelope blank, which comprises applying different types of gum to segregated 'areas of a cylindrical carrier, wrapping an envelope blank around said carrier to take up the different types of gum from said segregated areas and then removing said blank from said carrier after said envelope blank has taken up said gum from said segregated areas.

9. In an envelope blank gumming and imprinting mechanism for simultaneously applying different types of gum to the side and end flaps of an envelope, a cylindrical carrier, a plurality of applicator means to apply said different types of gum to said carrier to be applied to said blank, a stack carrying envelope blanks, transfer means to transfer one of said blanks from said stack to said carrier, holder means to hold said blank on said carrier and remover means to remove said blank from said carrier after it has taken up said gum, said carrier being provided with a cylindrical carrier face to receive and apply the different types of gum to the desired areas on the envelope blank and said applicator means including a plurality of rotatable elements to contact with said carrier face on each revolution thereof, said elements having gum carrying and applying areas approximating the shape and size of the areas on the envelope blank to receive the gum, said rotatable elements being positioned at different points in the course of travel of said carrier so as to successively apply to said carrier face gum in the areas corresponding in spacing and size to the areas on the envelope blank which are to receive the gum.

10. A method of simultaneously applying different types of gum to the side and top flaps of an envelope blank, which comprises applying difierent types of gum to different areas on a cylindrical carrier, wrapping an envelope blank around said carrier to take up the different types of gum from said areas and then removing said blank from said carrier after said envelope blank has taken up said gum from said areas and imprinting the opposite side of the envelope blank at the same time it is wrapped around said carrier to take up said different types of gum.

11. In an envelope blank gumming and imprinting mechanism, a cylindrical carrier for the envelope blanks having segregated areas to receive and transfer different types of adhesive material onto the top and side flaps of the envelope and applicator means successively to apply different types of gum to said segregated areas, and means to apply an envelope blank to said carrier after said different types of gum have been applied thereto, whereby said envelope blank will be simultaneously gummed by difierent types of gum from said segregated areas and clamping fingers to hold said envelope blank upon said carrier.

12. In an envelope blank gumming and imprinting mechanism, a cylindrical carrier for the envelope blanks having segregated areas to receive and transfer different types of adhesive material onto the top and side flaps of the envelope and applicator means successively to apply different types of gum to said segregated areas, and means to apply an envelope blank to said carrier after said difierent types of gum have been ap-. plied thereto, whereby said envelope blank will be simultaneously gummed by difierent types of gum from said segregated areas, means to imprint the opposite sides of said envelope blank after it has been applied to said carrier and while it is still on said carrier and gripping fingers on said carrier to grip said blank upon said carrier after application to the carrier and during gumming and imprinting.

13. In an envelope blank gumming and printsaid envelope blank, means to apply an envelope blank to said carrier after said gum has been applied to said carrier, gripping fingers to hold said envelope blank upon said carrier after application of said blank to said carrier and during the gumming of said blank from said carrier, and means to imprintthe opposite side of said envelope blank from that applied to said carrier while it is still upon said carrier and while it is gripped by said gripping fingers.

14. A transfer device for transferring a sheet material from a stack of such sheet material to a carrying cylinder upon which said sheet materials are to be imprinted,lwhich comprises a reciprocating carrier, positioned outside of said carrying cylinder, suction fingers rotatably mounted on said reciprocating carrier, means to reciprocate said carrierto cause said fingers to come in contact with said stack to remove a sheet of material from said stack and to carry said sheet of material to said carrying cylinder, said cylinder being recessed to receive said fingers when said fingers have moved said sheet against said cylinder and means to move said fingers when they have pressed said sheet against said cylinder to turn them out of the way of said cylinder.

15. A transfer device for transferring a sheet material from a stack of such sheet material to a carrying cylinder upon which said sheet materials are to be imprinted, which comprises a reciprocating carrier, including two side rods having slide bearings positioned on each side of said carrying cylinder, theforward ends of said side rods adjacent said carrying cylinder being provided with sleeve bearings, a rotatable tube mounted in said sleeve bearings connected to a source of suction, suction-fingers mounted upon said rotatable tube and turning with said rotatable tube, means to reciprocate said side rods to cause said fingers to come into contact with said stack to remove a sheet of material away from said stack to said cylinder and to move said fingers carrying said sheet of material toward said cylinder to press said sheet against said cylinder, means to move saidfingers V out of the. way of said cylinder when they have ing mechanism, a recessed cylindrical carrier for V the envelope blanks to receive and transfer adhesive material onto the top and side flaps of the envelope blank and applicator means to apply gum to said segregated areas, said gum being ofiset from said segregated areas onto a side of moved said sheet against said cylinder, and gripping fingers on said carrying cylinder to grip.

said sheet of material upon said carrying cylinder after said suction fingers have moved said sheet against said cylinder.

JOHN A. MATTERA. 

